Loom for weaving pile fabric



Feb. 19, 1929.

W. S. STAIRS Loon Fon wEAvING PILE mmm:

Filed Oct. 28, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ORN Feb. 19, 1929.Y

W. S. STAIRS LOOM FOR WEAVING PILE FABRIC Filed Oct. 28, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 III .IIII IIIIIYlU IIIHIIIIJI In I INVENTOR N. ATTO EY Feb. 19, 1929.

W. S. STAIRS LOOM FOR WEAVING PILE FABRIC Filed oct. 28, 1925 5 sheets-sheet 5 TTORN Feb. 19, 1929.

N Filed Oct. 28. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 |0 :Mw :L0

n@ m @Mf.

m bb Hmm Tifo o 2 f IG. mi

W. S. STAIRS LOOM FOR WEAVING PILE FABRIC Feb. 19, 1929.

Filed Oct. 28, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet INVEA/ ToR wam) 5. 5mm BY TTORNE tion.

PatentedFeb. 19,1929. y y ,y STATES y 41,102,368 lllrrarar` OFFICE.

waarna s. sums, o r rnmnmnn, rannsnvmu.

i Loox mawaavme run rannte.

appunuon nea octane: as, 1m. semi no. cages.

This invention relates to improvements in looms for weaving pile fabrics in which the pile may be cut or uncut, such fabrics being commonly known as Wilton fabrics and Brussels fabrics.

The invention aims to provide a loom which will weave such fabrics at a greater speed and which will require less ski l on the part of weavers operating the same than heretofore, and it resides in the provision of novel mechanism employing a needle for the insertion of the weft threads or filling operating in harmony with the mechanism for inserting and withdrawing the pile forming wires. The invention resides further in a novel shuttle mechanism for co-operation with the needle and a novel tension and take u device for the thread carried by the need e,'all as will be hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustratin my invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a pile fabric loom provided with mechanism embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a top view of a portion of the loom.

Figure 3 is a front view of a part of the weft inserting needle and the cam cylinder for actuating 1t and adj uncts. t

Figure 4 1s a sectional detail showing the inner end bearing for the cam cylinder.

Figure 5 is a transverse section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, through the cam cylinder and the needle carriage and its guide.

Figure 6 is a sectional plan of the shuttle mechanism and the point end of the weft needle.

Figure-7 is a longitudinal section through the shuttle mechanism, on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a section through the shuttle mechanism, on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fi ure 9 is a vertical section through the shutt e body and the bobbin therein.

Figure 10 is a side view of the take up mechanism. l

Figure 11 is a front view of the take up mechanism, showing the loom frame in sec- Figure 12 is a horizontal section through the take up mechanism, on line 12--12 of Fig. 10. i

Referrin to the drawings,'2 designates the frame of the loom, 3 thetake up roller for the finished fabric, 4 the finished fabric passing to the roller 3, and 6 the warp threads which extend rearwardly from the fell of the fabric 4 and which are raised and lowered in the usual manner to form the desired warp sheds during the weaving operation.

The pile forming wires 9 are guided b the usual grooves in the bed plate 10 on the oom frame 2, and they are successively withdrawn from the fabric 4 after being woven into the same and projected into the proper warp sheds, during the weaving operation, by the usual hook 11 and block 13, the hook 11 being carried by the block 13 and the block 13 belng slidably fitted to the plate 10 to be reciprocated thereon by the usual mechanism for actuating it, as follows. The block 13 is connected by a link 14 to the upper end of an arm or lever 15 whose lower end is pivoted at 16 to the loom frame 2. Slidable on the arm 15 is a block 17 which is pivoted to a crank wheel 18 on the forward end of a shaft 19 which is journaled in bearings on the loom frame 2. The shaft 19 is provided with a bevel gear wheel 20 in mesh with a similar wheel 21 on a shaft 22. The shaft 22 carries a gear wheel 23 in mesh with a pinion 24 on a shaft 25 which is provided with a gear wheel 26 in mesh with a inion 27 on the main drivingshaft 28 of the oom. The shafts 22, 25 and 28 are arranged one above the other and they are journaled in suitable bearings on the loom frame 2.

The main drivin shaft 28 is provided with the Vusual fast an loose ulleys 29 and 30 whereby the loom may be diiven from a suit-y able source of power by a belt 31, and the shaft 25 is provided with the usual cranks 32 for operating the lay (not shown).

The warp threads 6 include binding threads to form the binding chains, pile threads which form the pile over the wires 9 and which are floated inthe body of the fabric when not forming pile, and the stu'er threads which are ioated in the body of the fabric; and these several threads are raised and lowered in the usual manner and by the usual mechanism to form the warp sheds for the production of Wilton or Brussels fabric, the pile threads being controlled by the usual )acquard mechanism.

The construction and operation of the parts thus far referred to are well known to persons skilled inthis art and no detailed description or illustration thereof is deemed necessary herein. v i i y f v Supported on the loom frame 2at one side thereof is a horizontally arranged channel bar 33 the ends of which support bearings 34 and 35 in which are journaled the trunnions 36 and 37 of a long cam cylinder 38. This cylinder 38 -is rotated by a chain 39 which passes around a sprocket wheel 40 on the trunnion 37 and a sprocket wheel 41 on the main driving shaft 28.

The cam cylinder 38 has two grooves 42 and 43 formed therein which are connected at their respective ends, at 44, and form, in effeet, continuations of each other and which extend from their connected ends in opposite directions s irally around the cylinder and cross each ot er, as clearly shown in the draw- 1n s.

xtending over the cylinder 38 parallel thereto is a horizontal bar 45 having its respective ends resting upon and secured to the bearings 34 and 35. The bar 45 has a central, longitudinal slot 46 formed therein for the reception of a carrier block 47 which is slidably fitted to the bar 45 to engage the'side walls of' the slot 46 and the top and bottom of the bar 45, as shown in the drawings, to be guided by the bar and to be reciprocated longitudina ly thereon. The carrier block 47 carries a weft inserting needle 4 8 and it is connected to the cam cylinder 38 by a member 49 comprising a verticall pin 50 fitted to turn within a bore in the carrier 47 and a wing or shoe 51 fitted to work within the cam grooves 42 and 43. The length of theshoe 51 is considerably greater than the width of the grooves 42 and 43 so that during the rotation of the cylinder 38 the shoe 51 will traverse the two grooves in alternate succession and cross the intersections thereof and thereby effect the reciprocation of the member 49 and carrier block 47. Each spiral groove 42 and 43has a variable pitch which graduallyy decreases toward the connected ends 44 of the grooves to graduall lessen the speed of the member 49 andbloc 47 as they approach the respective ends of the grooves for ease of operation at high speed.

The weft inserting needle 48 has its heel end secured within the carrier block 47 and it extends therefrom through a guide block 52 which is secured upon the bar 45. The

oint end of the needle 48 has an eye 53 thereln'through which a thread 54 passes. The thread 54 is supplied to the needle 48 from a spool or cop 55 -(Fig. l) and it passes from the cop 55 up through a pair ofeyes 56 and 57 supported on the side of a bracket 58 which is secured on the frame 2, and then horizontally through a pair of spaced eyes 49 on the bracket 58, and then through a series of spaced eyes 59 (Fig. 2) supported by a fixed horizontal rod 60. From the series of eyes 59 the thread passes to and through the needle eye 53 and'thence to the fabric 4.

The needle 48 is arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the cam cylinder 38 and parallel to the bar 45 and it is positioned to be projected through and beyond warp sheds formed by the threads 6 and to be withdrawn therefrom by the action of the cam cylinder 38 reciprocating the needle carrier 47 during the weaving operation.

Each time the needle 48 is projected throu h a warp shed, a shuttle thread is passe through the loopof the thread 54 carried by the needle 48 by a shuttle device which I shall now describe.

Secured to the loom frame 2 on the side of the warp threads 6 opposite to that occupied by the heel end of the needle 48 is a bracket 61 having a fixed block 62 thereon forming a uide for a longitudinally movable bar 63 fitted to an under cut groove in the block 62 to be reciprocated therein transversely of the path of the needle 48. The rearward end of the bar 63 is pivoted to a head 64 having a tube 65 secured thereto and extending rear- Wardly'therefrom. Extending through the tube 65 and head 64 and slidable therein is a rod 66 the rearward end of which is secured to a head 67v which is pivotally connected to the upper end of an arm 68 which is pivoted at its lower end to a bracket 69 on the loom frame. The forward end of the rod 66 is provided with a nut 7 0 adapted to engage the head 64; and encircling the rod 66 between the tube 65 and head 68 is a spring 71 which acts to force the heads 64 and 68 apart and hold the nut 7 O in engagement with the head 64 so that, under normal working conditions, the rod 66 and tube 65 form, in effect, a single link connecting the bar 63 and arm 68, whereby, when the arm 68 is rocked on its pivot, the bar 63 will be reciprocated on the block 62. The arm 68 is provided with a roller 72 which engages a cam 73 on the shaft 25 and which is held in working engagement with the cam by a spring 74 one end of which is attached to the arm 68 and the other end of which is attached to a bracket 75 on the loom frame. During the operation of the loom, the cam 73 rocks the arm 68 forward and back and there by reciprocates the bar 63.

The bar 63 forms a carrier for a shuttle body 76 which rests thereon between forward and rearward stops 77 and 78 between which the shuttle body 76 may move a slight distance guided by side walls 79 and 80 rising from the sides of the fixed block 62. The shuttle body 76 has an under cut socket 81 therein to receive the end portion of the stop 78. Vertical displacement of the shuttle 76 from the carrier 63 is prevented by plates 82 and 83 which extend over the shuttle path and which are connected to the side walls 79 and 80 of the block 62. The plate 82 is fitted to slide longitudinally on the walls 79 and 80 to afford access to the shuttle 76; and for this purpose the side edges 84 of the plate 82 engage lateral ribs on the walls 79 and 80.

The shuttle body 76 comprises a fioor por- :,voasea tion and walls 86 extending upwardly therefrom and enclosin a bobbin chamber for the reception of a "read y.carrying bobbin 87. Thesbobbin 8,7` comprises a verticallyfarranged tubular body 88 havin horizontally extendingfend flanges 89 an it is fitted toturn on a post 90 rising fixedly from the floor portion 85. f Thepost 90 is tubular in form and is provided with anrarm 91 which is pivoted to the uppler end thereof and adapted to be movedtot "ehorizontal position shown by full lines in Figs. 6 and`9 to retain the bobbin 87 on the post 90, and to be raised to the position shown by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 9 to permit the` bobbin to be removed from Aor applied 4to the post. A spring 93 within the post 90 acting against a plunger 92 therein which engages the pivoted arm 91 serves to hold it in either the up or down .position to either of which it may be moved against the vaction of the spring `and plunger.

The thread 94 from" the bobbin 87 extends through grooves95,l 96and97 in the shuttle bodyf76 to the `fabi-ici! .and as the thread passes through the groove it passes under a strong tension spring` 981,011 the shuttle bjodyand around-a screw on ostv 99 thereon to increase the tension ontethread. `As the thread 94 passes ffrorthe. groove 97 it passes.between` th. shuttlejbody 76 and aV wire guard l.100 1 proj ecting fixedly therefrom and thence throughk an .opening `101 in the side wall 80 of the block62.]

The shuttle carrier 63and yits shuttle 76 are arranged Atobe Vreciprocated directl beneath Vthe free end portion `of the,` need e 48 when 'it is` in the forward `position shown in Figs. 2, 6 and ,8 and the' bottom of the needle 48 has a cut out bottom yportion 102 through which the upper portion of the shuttle 76 asses. Theshuttle 76 isbeveled, at 103 orming a pointed nose `104 the bottom of which 1s curved ydownwardly to the bottom of the shuttle body 76 to cause the nose 104 to enter the loop of the needle thread 54 as the nose 104 enters the cut out ortion 102 of the needle 48 when theshuttle 6 is moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6.

Secured upon the loom frame 2 is a bracket 105 having fixed thereto a block or memberv 106 which 1s provided with a tapered opening 107 to receive the point end of the needle 48 and position it accurately with respect to the path of the shuttle 76 for cooperation with the shuttle'when the needle 48 is in the forward or projected position.

The bracket 58 hereinbefore referred to carries parts of a tension andtake up device for the needle thread 54 which I shall now describe, referring particularly to Figs.

`1, 10, 11 and 12.

As the needle thread 54 passes through the eyes 49 on the bracket`58 italso passes through the hooked free endr of a take up arm 108 which is pivoted at 109 to the bracket 58. The take up arm 108 is `provided with a projecting limb 110 carrying a laterally rojecting pin 111 fitted to/work within a ongitudina slot 112 in the upper end portion of a bar 113.` The lower-end portion of lthe bar 113 is pivoted to an arm or lever l114 which is pivoted,at 115, to the loom frame 2. The arm 114 is provided with` a` ro1ler116 which engages a cam 117 on the shaftl 25' and which is eid in engagement with the caml by a spring 118` oneend of which is attached to the armv 114 and the other end oflwhich `is attached to the loom frame.

The take up arm 108 is provided `with another rojectlng limb 119 having the up )er end o a spring 120 attached thereto. t he lower end of the spring 120 is attached to an arm 121 which is pivoted, at 122, to the loom frame. The arm 122 is provided with `a roller 123 which engages a cam 124 on the shaft 22 and which is held against the cam by a spring 125 which overcomes the pulll of the spring 120, one end .of the spring 125 being attached to the arm 121 and the other end thereof being attached to theloom frame.

When the arm 114 yis raised by the cam 117 it raises the -bar.1`13.and thebottom of the slot 112 in the bar 113 engages the pin 111 and raises the take up arm 108 against the pull of the spring 120" to the position shown in Figs. `1 and 10; and, when'the cam 117 lowers the arm 114, the bottom of the slot 112 leaves the pin 111 and thereby .leaves the take up arm 108 free to be moved b` the spring 120 to or toward theposition s own by dot-and-dash lines in Fig.` 10 to take up slack in the thread 54 `by vmoving it from between the eyes 49. The pull of the spring 120 is increased and decreased by the operation of the cam 124 atcertain intervals to increase and decrease the pullupon the take up arm 108 to thereby vary the tension produced by the 'arm 108l upon the thread 54 for purposes hereinafter explained.-

As the thread 54 passes between the guiding eyes 56 and 57 on the side of the bracket 58, it passes between the 'aws 126 and 127 of a tension producing an thread retarding device. The jaw 126 is fixed on the bracket 58 and the jaw 127 is carried by the lower arm of a lever 129 which is fulcrumed at 130 on the bracket 58. The upper arm of the lever 129 carries a spring 131 which bears against the bracket 58 and forces the jaw 127 toward the jaw 126 to clamp the thread 54 between the jaws. The take u arm 108 has a projection 132 thereon whic engages the lever 129 below its fulcrum 130 and moves the jaw 127 away from the jaw 126 to free the thread 54 when the take up arm 108 is moved to the position shown by full lines Vin Flg. 10. When the take up arm 108 is moved by the spring 120 to or toward the position shown by dot-.and-dash lines in Fig. 10, the

projection 132 is moved from the lever 129 and permits the spring 131 to move the lever 129 to move the jaw 127 toward the jaw 126 to clamp the thread 54 between them to stop or retardthe feeding of the thread for a purpose hereinafter described.

The operation of the several mechanisms with relation to each other and with relation to the old and known parts of the loom is as follows:

The needle 48 is projected over and under all the pile forming threadsin the warp sheds in alternate succession, in weaving what is known as a two shot fabric. Each time the needle 48 is projected over the pile warp it is also projected over the then lower and un der the then upper binder or chain warps, and each time the needle is projected under the pile warps it is also projected over the then lower and under the then upper binder or chain warps which are reversed between needle strokes. At each alternate needle stroke, when it is projected under the pile warps, the pile wire operating arm 15 is timed to insert a pile wire 9 over the pile warps which are to be floated and under the pile warps which are to form the pattern in the finished fabric, and under the then upper binder or chainwarps.

Each time the needle 48 is projected through a warp shed the needle carries a loop of the thread 54 through the shed, and, while the point ofjthe needle is positioned by the member 106 with respect to the path of the shuttle 76 the shuttle carrier 63 is operated to pass the shuttle 76 and its thread 94, extending from it to the adjacent edge of the fabric 4 through the loop of the thread 54 carried by the needle. This done, the needle 48 is retracted and the thread 94 retains the loop of the thread 54, one side of which feeds through the needle 53 during the retraction thereof. Thus the shuttle thread 94 retains the weft or filling thread 54 at one edge of the fabric and it is retained at the op osite edge of the fabric by the binding and pile warps around which it is drawn as the needle passes over and under them in alternate succession. Thus it will be understood by ersons skilled in this art that a two shot fa ric will be produced with a double weft or lling formed by the thread 54 and laid above and below the pile warps in alternate succession.

The timing of the cam cylinder 38 and the shafts 22, 25 and 28 is as follows: The cam cylinder 38 turns seven revolutions to five revolutions of the driving shaft 28; the shaft 25 turns tive revolutions to one revolution of the driving shaft 28 and the shaft 22 turns one revolution to two revolutions of the shaft 25.

The cams 117 and 124 are set on the shafts 25 and 22, respectively, and so relatively arranged that the take up arm 108 and tension producing jaw 127 for the needle thread 54 are operated with respect to the operation of the needle 48 as follows: While the needle 48 is being projected through a war shed the needle draws the thread 54 from t e cop 55 and the take up arm 108 is held by the cam 117 in the position shown by full lines in 10, and the projection 132 on the take up arm 108 holds the jaw 127 away from the jaw 126 for the free passage of the thread 54 between the jaws 126 and 127. Just before the needle 48 reaches the limit of its forward movement, the cam 117 lowers the bar 113 and thereby permits the spring 120 to move the take up arm 108 toward the position shown by dotand-dash lines in Fig. 10, and thereby causing the projection 132 of the arm 108 to release the lever 129 and thus clam the thread 54 between the jaws 126 and 1 Now, as the needle 48 completes its forward movement and starts its reverse movement and while the shuttle 76 is being projected through the loo of the thread 54 carried-by the needle an during the further backward movement of the needle 48 the take up arm 108 actuated by the spring 120 takes up the slack thread with the desired tension for the proper weaving of the fabric.- The 'aws 126 and 127 clamp and hold the threa 54 during the en` tire reverse movement of the needle 48 and while the thread 54 slides through the needle eye 53 and until just before the needle 48 starts through the warp shed on its next forward movement, whereupon the cam 117 raises the bar 113 and thereby raises the take up arm 108 to the position shown by fulllines in Fig. 10, and, at the same time, the projection 132 o erates the 'lever 129to free the thread 54 rom the jaws 126 and 127 and permit the thread to feed with and by the nee dle 48.

At each alternate forward and back movement of the needle 48 in weaving a two shot fabric and while the needle is bein withdrawn from beneath the pile warps t e cam 124 permits the spring 125 to draw the Spring 120 down and thereby cause the arm 108 to produce more tension on the thread 54 than is produced while the needle 48 is being withdrawn from above the pile warps at the inter mediate forward and back movements of the needle when the cam 124 raises the arm 121 and lessens the pull of the spring 120, such variations in tension being necessary for the proper weaving of the fabric.

I claim as my invention 1. In a loom Ior weaving pile fabric the combination of a weft inserting needle, means at one side of the warp shed to support and guide the heel end of the needle, means to reciprocate the needle, a fixed member having an opening therein to receive the free end portion of the needle as it reaches the limit of its forward movement and constructed to entirely surround and to position the same and to prevent transverse displacement of the 1,voa,ses

needle in all directions, anda shuttle device constructed to co-operate with the needle between said member and the heel end of the needle when the needle is positioned by said member.

2. Ina shuttle devicefor co-operation with the weft inserting needle of a pile fabric loom, a shuttle body having a floor portion and walls extending upwardly therefrom and enclosing a bobbin chamber having an open top, a post rising centrally from the floor p01'- tion, land a bobbin mounted to turn horizontally on said post Within said chamber and comprising a tubular body having horizontally extending end flanges whereby the bobbin can be removed from the shuttle body through the open top thereof.

3. In a shuttle device for co-operation with the weft inserting needle of a pile fabric loom, a shuttle body having a floor portion and walls extending u wardly therefrom and enclosing a bobbin c amber, a post rising centrall from the floor portion, and a bobbin mountedl to turn horizontally on said post within said chamber and comprisin a tubular body having horizontally extending end lianges, said walls havilwr open sided passages therein extending in different directions to receive and guide a thread from the bobbin.

4. In a loom for weaving pile fabric, the combination with a weft inserting needle and supporting and reciprocating means therefor, of means for guiding a thread to the needle, a take up arm for the thread, yielding means adapted to actuate said arm, means to render said yielding means inoperative at each forward movement of the needle and operative at each rearward movement of the needle, and means to increase and decrease the effective strength of said yielding means in alternate -succession at successive rearward movements of the needle.

5. In a loom for weaving pile fabric, the combination with a. weft inserting needle and supporting and reciprocating means therefor, of means for guiding a thread to the needle, a take up arm for the thread, yielding means adapted to actuate said arm, means to render said yielding means inoperative at each forward movement of the needle and operative at each rearward movement of the needle, a cam, means operated by the cam to increase and decrease the effective strength of said yielding means in alternate succession at successive rearward movements of the needle, and means for actuating the cam.

6. In a loom for weaving pile fabric, the combination with a weft inserting needle and 'supporting and reciprocating means therefor, of means fr guiding a thread to the needle, a take up arm for the thread, a ,spring connected to said arm to actuate the same, means to render said spring inoperative at each forward movement of the needle and operative at each rearward movement of the needle, a pivoted arm connected to the spring, a cam constructed to operate said ivoted arm to increase and decrease the e ective strength of the spring in alternate succession at successive rearward movements of the needle, and means for actuatin the cam.

VIn testimony whereof afHx my signature.

WALTER S. STAIRS.

crarlrlcam or eoluuic'rlori.

Trim; No. 1,702, 36s.

emma mamy 19, 1929, a

WALTER S. STAIRS.

It is hereby certified that the sbo've numbered Vpatent was erroneously issued to the inventor, said "Stairs", ss owner of said invention, whereas said patent should have been issued to Ps., tire interest in said invention, office; 'snd that the said Letters "Marshall Field Mills Corporation, s Corporation of Pennsylvania", ssid corporation being assignee of the enss shown by the records of assignments in this Patent should be read with this correction of Philadelphia,

therein. that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

signed d mnd this son d" of July. A. n. 1929.

(Seal) M. J. Moors, Actin Conmissioner of Patents.-

CERTIFICATE GF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,702,368. Granted February 19, 1929, to`

WALTER S. STAIRS.

It is hereby certified that the above numbered patent was erroneously issued to the inventor, said "Stairs", as owner of said invention, whereas said patent should have been issued to "Marshall Field Mills Corporation, of Philadelphia, Pa., a Corporation of Pennsylvania", said corporation being assignee of the entire interest in said invention, as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may1 conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 30th dav of duly. A. l). 1929.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.1 

